LECTURE 15
OF THE DIVERSE MEANS DEATH CAN BE PROCURED
Birth is when we come and death is when we go. We all came in a unique way, but we shall go in diverse ways. It is very obvious that we all shall die, but that cloud of unknowing that gathered over the saints of old still gathers weight over us. We just do not know when or how that last day of existence will be; whether in old age or in youth, at home or abroad, in joy or in suffering. Though we can’t tell how and when it will turn out, the obvious is that, we shall surely die. It would be sooner or later.
The whole of humanity actually sits on a death row, awaiting the executioner to unleash his final weapon of oppression. The queue, though long, will definitely reach us someday, and we shall be called to the slaughter to face the executioner. He may choose to strangle, roast, pound, shoot etc. He may choose to patronize any technique he reckons exciting and stylish. He is simply enjoined by legislation to employ ingenuity and creativity in decimating the victims, and he does it so nicely. He does it to the bewilderment of his own thoughts.
The inmates waiting back in the queue see him in action, and they tremble. They become tensed and distraught. They try imagining how their own annihilation will be. They wish they could fly away from such cruelty; but no, they can’t. They are jailed to time and are convicted to die therein. O poor miserable us, see what fate awaits us!.
Our life is just a simple waiting for the day of death. We are all in waiting, to be served our turn. It will reach us sooner or later, and it promises to be very creative in designing instruments to crush the clay. For this reason, wisdom entreats us not to dispute over the manner in which some meet their death. Because we do not know how our own death shall be.
Having said that, I will also plead with you to be wary in not disputing over the way and manner some die. I will caution that you are not given to probe into the manner of other men’s departure as in: “Why this man died in such a manner and that one in that?” or “Why this man died a painful death and the other a peaceful one?” or “Why this man’s death was of God and that man’s death was not of God.” Aside inciting chaos and conflict, these trivial assessments and inquiries only darken the soul, and moreover, they are not yours to know. Therefore, should a colleague even suggest them to you, or ask your opinion on them, I advise that you totally ignore such. My word of caution is very simple; keep your mouth shut, since you do not even know how your own death shall be.
A man once said of his dead friend, “See how he died in a shameful and a disgraceful manner”, and in a few months, died himself in a more terrible manner. I know of many others too, who rejoiced in the death and calamities of others, and accounted it as judgment upon them for their disobedience and wickedness towards God and man; and within some few months, also met with a more uneasy death.
Remember the error of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. For they, in visiting Job, did account his tragedy and suffering unto him as judgement and punishment from God. They did arbitrate his woes unto him as the due punishment for his gross wickedness towards God and man. Wherefore God said to Eliphaz, “My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right”, charging them with slander on His unerring Personality. But for the offerings of rams and the intercession of Job, they would have met a greater woe themselves.
My plea to you, brethren, is to speak nothing concerning the death or tragedy of other men. I charge you to only look to your own, since you do not even know how your own death shall be. I, for one, have always kept this as a strict rule, wherewith I guard my mouth and my heart. Though I may but estimate numbers and figures, I do not estimate or approximate situations. When it comes to matters and issues of life, I always love to keep my mouth shut, although I may have adequate knowing of the subject.
With regard to the tragedy of others, the wisest thing to do is to only reflect that it were you. This, I guess, may probably afford you the readiest getting of humility. More so, it may be the easiest way to bridle your mouth from transgressing in vain words. Hence, should you see others die in a motor accident, reflect that it may be that you may also die in the same manner, and by that retain your peace. Should you also see or hear others drown and die in water, reflect that you may also procure death in that same manner, and by that guard your heart. If you would do this, your peace will be greater.
Never for once think that death is too far from you. For I tell you; it is closer to you than you thought and it may embrace you at the hour you least expected. I recall walking home through the dark one evening, when I suddenly fell into a gutter and injured my foot. I was really angry with myself for that single act of carelessness. I just couldn’t bear that negligence, for not keeping my gaze fixed on the path at the very instant. As I kept bashing myself for that, I felt this inspiration within my spirit, “Be gentle on yourself . . . for in like manner, shall you bow out of life; you will hardly see it coming.” And truly, I did take solace in those words, because many have been taken by death unawares. Even with those who were cognizant of their departure, they couldn’t rightly estimate the exact minute or second life would cease to be. Such is the fate of all men; we do not know when we shall die. And except in the case of suicide, martyrdom etc, we may not also tell how we will die. Always remember that death is the most creative of elements; it snatches men in diverse fashion.
It may either embrace you on an empty stomach, or on a full stomach. And sincerely, there are many who have died on a full stomach than on an empty stomach. There are many others too, who have died in watchfulness than in sleeping; and in eating than in fasting.
Ours is just to be mindful of the fact that, it can be procured through any means possible, and thereby think it not far. Wisdom petitions us that we see every activity or inactivity, as a means through which our own death may be procured. It does caution us to be always ready for it at all times. If we don’t die by accident or negligence, we shall die by providence. If we don’t die whole, we shall die maimed. This, I guess, calls for a lot of sober reflection.
To this end, I may advise that as you eat, reflect that a food may choke you and you may die. As you walk, reflect that you may stumble upon a stone, fall and then die. As you sit at the comfort of your house or office, reflect that the building may just collapse and you may die. As you relax under a shade of a tree, know that it may fall suddenly upon you and you may die. As you cross the highway, reflect that a vehicle may just run you over and you may die. As you sit rejoicing, reflect that you may suddenly have a cardiac arrest or a heart attack and then die.
As you walk about in ecstasy, reflect that you may get caught by a lethal explosion and then die. As you unplug your appliance, reflect that you may get electrocuted and die. As you also journey in the dark, contemplate that you may get attacked by a hooligan, who may strangle you and you may die. Thus nature calls us to meditate on death by those things which are the instruments of acting it; and God, by all the variety of his Providence, makes us see death everywhere, in all variety of circumstances.
If you should think about this from time to time, and look on all things as a means through which your death may be procured, you will learn to hold yourself ready to die at all times. It will make you more sensitive and grateful to God, who upholds you from evil all the time. It will also make you more zealous to please God, from whom you receive your daily manna of grace.
MY GOD! I KNOW THAT I MUST DIE
By Benjamin Schmolk
My God! I know that I must die--
My mortal life is passing hence
On earth I neither hope nor try
To find a lasting residence.
Then teach me by Thy heavenly grace,
With joy and peace my death to face.
My God! I know not when I die,
What is the moment or the hour--
How soon the clay may broken lie,
How quickly pass away the flower;
Then may Thy child prepared be
Through time to meet Eternity.
My God! I know not how I die,
For death has many ways to come--
In dark mysterious agony,
Or gently as a sleep to some.
Just as Thou wilt I if but it be
For ever blessed, Lord, with Thee.
My God! I know not where I die,
Where is my grave, beneath what strand,
Yet from its gloom I do rely
To be delivered by Thy hand.
Content, I take what spot is mine,
Since all the earth, my Lord, is Thine.
My gracious God! when I must die,
Oh! bear my happy soul above,
With Christ, my Lord, eternally
My God! I know that I must die--
To share Thy glory and Thy love!
Then comes it right and well to me,
When, where, and how my death shall be.